| Additional Information: | A 'site file' titled Lake Mills Downtown Commercial Historic District exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation-Public History.
This two-story Italianate Style building with a raised basement story was constructed in 1892 as the F.B. Fargo & Company Creamery Supply Offices and Retail Show rooms building of the F.B. Fargo Dairy Equipment Company. A portion of the building was also leased to the Lake Mills Leader Publishing Company. The building is clad in cream brick, has a flat roof with brick corbeling and metal cornice detail, and rests on a rusticated stone foundation. The basement-level is accessed by a recessed entry located at the southeast corner of the front (south) facade. The first floor is accessed by a series of concrete steps located at the southeast corner of the side (east) elevation. Similar to the basement level, the entry is recessed. Decorative details consist of simple brick belt courses, pilasters, and corbeling at the cornice. A decorative metal cornice with gable parapets and brackets spans the front facade and wraps around to a portion of the side (west and east) elevations. Windows on the building are a combination of modern one-over-one, double-hung replacements and replacement arched transoms with rusticated stone sills and brick segmented arch lintels with keystones.
When the building was constructed it housed the Fargo Diary Supply Company and the Lake Mills Leader Publishing Company. According to records, the first floor served as office space and the second floor featured a large salesroom. In the late 1880s Fargo Dairy Supply Company merged with Creamery Package Company of Chicago. The business outgrew this space and soon relocated to the outskirts of Lake Mills. The city purchased the building from the Fargo family in 1911. During the City’s tenure, the building housed the Light & Power Department, City Clerk, and other municipal offices. Although the Lake Mills Leader continued to lease space in the building, there was still unused space that the city rented to other retail businesses and/or used to host public and private gatherings, such as dances and basketball games. The Leader Printing Company moved in 1951 after its space was significantly damaged by a fire.
1974- BRACKETED CORNICE ON FRONT W/ FALSE GABLESCORBELLED CORNICE ON SIDESEGMENTAL ARCHED WINDOWS |
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| Bibliographic References: | Liebenow, Roland. People, Their Places, and Things: A Vignette History of Lake Mills. [Lake Mills, Wis.: Self-published, n.d.], pp. 82-85 (illustrated).
Lake Mills Leader: August 18, 1892, p. 3; August 25, 1892, p. 3; September 15, 1892, p. 3; October 6, 1892, p. 3; October 20, 1892, p. 3; November 10, 1892, p. 3; November 17, 1892, p. 3; December 22, 1892, p. 3; February 23, 1893, p. 3. |
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